There Is No Safer Football Helmet for Kids: Study

MONDAY, Oct. 28 (HealthDay News) -- High-tech helmets and custom mouth guards do not reduce concussion risk for high school football players any more effectively than low-cost helmets or off-the-shelf mouth guards, a new study says.

Neither specific brands nor higher-cost protective gear resulted in fewer concussions among more than 1,300 football players at 36 high schools during the 2012 season, according to a study scheduled for presentation Monday at an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) meeting in Orlando, Fla.

"We're certainly not saying that helmets and mouth guards aren't important. They do what they are supposed to do. Mouth guards prevent dental injuries, and helmets prevent skull fractures and scalp and face lacerations," said Dr. Margaret Alison Brooks, the study's lead co-investigator. "But I don't think the manufacturing companies have the data to support [the claim that] if a parent buys a specific model, their child will have a reduced risk of concussion."

About 40,000 sports-related concussions occur in United States high schools every year, the researchers said.

Many manufacturers of football helmets and mouth guards cite laboratory research that their pricey equipment will better cushion impact and reduce players' risk of concussion, said Brooks, an assistant professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation at the University of Wisconsin.

"We were interested in whether we can support the manufacturer claims that more expensive, newer, fancier football helmets really reduce the risk of concussion," she said.

Players involved in the study completed a preseason questionnaire listing their personal statistics and previous injuries. Athletic trainers took notes on all concussions that occurred throughout the year.

The players wore helmets manufactured by three companies: Riddell (52 percent), Schutt (35 percent) and Xenith (13 percent). About 75 percent of helmets were relatively new, having been purchased since 2009.

The study also noted which mouth guards players wore. About 60 percent of players wore generic models provided by schools, while the rest wore models custom-fitted by dental professionals or specifically marketed to reduce the risk of concussions.

During the 2012 season, 115 players sustained a concussion -- about 8.5 percent of all players in the study, the researchers said.